Le Blanc goes mad but Dawson leads

Robin Dawson continues to impress this season. Picture by Pat Cashman Faithlegg’s Robin Dawson shot a splendid opening round of 67 - five under par - to lead after the first round of the Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship at an immaculately presented Lisburn Golf Club.

Dawson leads by two shots from a trio of players, Limerick’s Mark MacGrath, England’s Marco Penge and Th Island’s Kevin Le Blanc, who, having started at the 10th, blitzed the front nine in 29 strokes.

Defending champion Gareth Lappin made a solid start, carding a one-under 71.

Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship, Lisburn Golf Club

Round One

67 R Dawson (Faithlegg)

69 M Penge (England), M MacGrath (Limerick), K Le Blanc (The Island)

70 J Gesell (Germany), T Mulligan (Laytown & Bettystown), J Singh Brar (England)

71 G Lappin (Belvoir Park)

72 A Wilson (Portmarnock), J Walsh (Castle), T Collins (Dun Laoghaire), C Kennedy (Forrest Little)

73 C Sheppard (England), R Mullarney (Galway), R Lester (Hermitage), G Milne (Faithlegg), H Long (Germany), P McBride (The Island), L Adolphs (Germany), P Tobin (Mahon)

74 R Lumsden (England), S Greenberg (Tandragee), J Whelan (Newlands)

75 C Mills (Shandon Park), J Fletcher (Warrenpoint), A Singh Brar (England), S Walsh (Carton House), C Rankin (Royal Portrush), G Ward (Kinsale), C Morris (England), A Clegg (Donaghadee), M McKinstry (Cairndhu), P Brennan (Belvoir Park), C Butler (Kinsale), J Thomson (England), D Carey (Carton House)

76 E McGrane (Headfort), N Andersen (Denmark), P Kerr (Royal Portrush), C Keown (Greystones), H Hussain (England), D Brady (Co. Sligo), C Purcell (Portmarnock), R Brazill (Rathsallagh), G O’Mahony (Lee Valley), D Flynn (Carton House), S Flanagan (Co. Sligo), D Byrne (Greystones), A Magee (Powerscourt), J Sugrue (Mallow)

77 A McCormick (Scrabo), P Johansson (Sweden), R Mc Keever (Castle), K McCormack (Portarlington), L Koeble (Germany), C Morrison (Spa), P Shaw (Lurgan), C Smyth (Greenore), D Kelly (Hermitage), J Igoe (Roscommon), R Dutton (Tandragee), J Storey (England), A Pollich (Germany), R Long (Cairndhu), S Watts (Cairndhu), M Norton (Belvoir Park)

78 J Hood (Galgorm Castle), C Ryan (Stackstown), R Williamson (Holywood), J Dempsey (Newbridge), J Dunne (Borris), J McDonnell (Forrest Little), R Mohan (The Island), J McCarthy (Stackstown), N Monaghan (Seapoint), B Murray (Waterford Castle), W Russell (Clandeboye)

79 C Woodroofe (Blainroe), N Foley (The Island), M Kane (Whitehead), R Steedman (Courtown), J Cooke (England), J Doherty (Ballina), C McGoldrick (Enniscrone), M Thallon (Bangor), A Conlon (Malahide)

80 B Robinson (England), N O’Connell (Waterford Castle), G Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick)

81 J McVicker (Knock), C Sutton (Malahide), A Myles (Newlands), B Cassidy (Dromoland), M Rea (Donaghadee), D Morley (Oughterard), G Blakely (England), C Stone (Carton House), T O’Driscoll (Ring Of Kerry), C Harte (Castle), A Keenan (Dundalk)

82 E Goggin (Mallow), M Boucher (Carton House), A Dewji (England), B Doran (Rathsallagh), S Doyle (Athlone)

83 L Grehan (Mullingar)

84 D Peacock (Bangor), M McPartlin (Carton House), J Corbett (Ballinasloe), A Mulhall (Ardglass)

85 E O’Hehir (Naas), R Murray (Castle), K McCarron (North West)

86 M Culhane (Limerick), G Murray (Royal Tara), K Eccles (Clandeboye)

87 P Smith (Malahide), A Doyle (Bray)

89 M Ryan (New Ross)

90 J Healy (Westport)